Both 3/22 pre-festival field trips are full. There is still space on some of the morning trips on 3/29. Go to the website at www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org for current status. We have cranes here. Friday at Scooteney Reservoir I found 4 of the 30 Lesser Sandhills that Gary Ivey banded in CA this winter that are carring radio transmitters. This morning there were two other cranes beeping in the Corfu area among the 1200 on refuge and 1700 north of SR 26. My guess is we have close to 5000 in the area now. Curlews are back, and Burrowing Owls are mostly here. The owls along Lemaster between Lee and Cunningham Roads have been fairly easy to spot but have already been pushed some; please stay in your vehicle and give them room or they will leave. Tricolored Blackbirds are still near Para Ponds along McManamon Road and Camano Island Cattle feedlot along SR 26.

Randy Hill
Othello